No. Why would you tag a guy who is well known to just quit when he's disgruntled? A guy who can be a cancer in the locker room when he's pissed off?

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To trade him.

I don't think that was their plan at all when they gave the concession to Samuel, but that's done and now they will possibly look at Moss as Plan B if he has a great season and wants to get paid like the best WR in the league..

I don't think that was their plan at all when they gave the concession to Samuel, but that's done and now they will possibly look at Moss as Plan B if he has a great season and wants to get paid like the best WR in the league..

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I think Moss has been there and done that. If this year continues to go well for him, and he finds happiness with the Pats, I think he'll settle for a high, but reasonable, salary with the Pats next year in order to stay on the team.

It makes a lot of sense, assuming they can't re-sign him. The non-exclusive (2 1RDs in comp) number for WR in 2007 was $6.172 million. Let's say that number is $7 million in 2008. I think Belioli believes that they can field a core group of guys, and let Moss take up 6% of the estimated 2008 salary cap.

Assuming Brown retires and Stallworth gets released (because of the roster bonus being insane), that would leave the following 5 WR:

1. Moss
2. Gaffney
3. Welker
4. Washington
5. Johnson

If Stallworth comes to his senses, he takes over the #2, and Gaffney moves to #4. We either carry 6 WR, or part ways with Washington or Johnson.

Where cry-baby Johnson is remains anyone's guess.

As to Samuel, I doubt they were willing to commit $9 million (7.7% of the salary cap) to Samuel, who is only a very good corner. Even here, they're in very good shape with Hobbs and Gay at corner, Harrison (final year) and Wilson at saftey, and quality backups like Merriweather and Sanders. If they could just hang onto Samuel and get another Merriweather-like young player, they'd be in very solid shape.

I don't think that was their plan at all when they gave the concession to Samuel, but that's done and now they will possibly look at Moss as Plan B if he has a great season and wants to get paid like the best WR in the league..

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That would be breaking the spirt, though not the letter of the law of the CBA - not that it's not been done before.

But after attracting Moss for a one year low pay contract recognizing his desire to be a team player and outplay his salary to win a Super Bowl and boost his long term earning power - then to have the team screw him by slapping the Tag on him will likely assure that NO player will ever make the same "mistake" Moss did by coming here under similar circumstances again.

i.e. - while they'd get a draft pick for Moss, they'd signficantly hinder their ability to attract players similar to Moss and those in his situation in the future

The Patriots aren't stupid enough to mortgage their long term solvency like that - so I don't see this as a plausible theory.

i.e. - while they'd get a draft pick for Moss, they'd signficantly hinder their ability to attract players similar to Moss and those in his situation in the future

The Patriots aren't stupid enough to mortgage their long term solvency like that - so I don't see this as a plausible theory.

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As time goes on I put less and less credence in this line of thinking... that free agents love us because we're such a great organization but some action we take might destroy our credibility so they'll shun us.

That's not what's happened. Most of the time when the press and/or team portrays things that way it's spin. We have done a lot of things to that could potentially alienate players. But all teams have. And most players know it's a business for us, as well as for them.

The bottom line is, players act in their own self interest, with how they like the organization just one factor. It was most definitely in Randy Moss' own interest to make the concessions he did... he didn't do us any favors out of the goodness of his heart. He needed us as much as we needed him.

I think they would consider tagging Moss, assuming they hadn't made a promise not to do so. And I haven't heard anyone say they had.